Many different types of electrical connectors are known in the art. Some types of electrical connectors receive and retain a plurality of individual wires that are provided to the electrical connector in a bundle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,392 to Takahashi et al. discloses a wire retaining clip for use with an electrical connector. The wire retaining clip guides bundled wires extending from an electrical connector mounted to a power distribution box and secures the wires to the box to prevent vibration of the wires thereby preventing separation of the wires from their terminals. The wire retaining clip is molded in a single piece and comprises a connector cover which snaps into attachment with the electrical connector to secure the wire terminals therein and a wire guide member attached to the cover by a living hinge. The wire guide member encloses the wires and routes them around an edge of the power distribution box and along a second surface of the box. The wires are taped or otherwise secured to the wire guide member and a lock mechanism on the wire guide member engages cooperating means on the power distribution box to secure the wires to the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,796 to Duhr teaches a wire harness and a connector shroud. The shroud secures a wire harness and its attached connector to an electrical power distribution center assembly. The shroud surrounds the end of the wire harness and engages the wire harness connector so as to permit a degree of linear movement of the connector relative to the shroud. The shroud is secured to a power distribution center housing to place the connector in alignment with a mating connector on the power distribution center and a bolt passing through the mating connector is tightened into engagement with a nut molded into the wire harness connector to draw the wire harness connector into electrical connection with the mating connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,026 to Gieb et al. reveals an electrical connector with a cable strain relief. An electrical connector assembly terminates the conductors of an electrical cable. A dielectric housing includes a plurality of terminal-receiving passages for receiving a plurality of terminals terminated to the conductors of the cable. A discrete dielectric cover is removably mounted on the housing over a termination end thereof. A discrete dielectric strain relief member is mounted on the housing near the termination end thereof and to which the electrical cable can be fixed. The cover is mounted to the housing independently of the strain relief member whereby the cover can be removed from the housing without removing the strain relief member and the affixed cable. The strain relief member can be mounted on the housing at a plurality of different locations whereby the cable can exit the connector from the housing in different locations and orientations.